Face-to-Face with a Mountain Lion

“I don’t know. I don’t think you’re supposed to run or go away from it.”

That was the hushed, cautionary back-and-forth chatter between two hikers that came across a mountain lion in Sequoia National Park in California. After a couple of minutes, they changed their plans, slowly backed away and set up camp.

“The big thing these visitors did right was that they didn’t panic and run,” Daniel Gammons, wildlife biologist told the Associated Press. “Probably the most important message to get out to visitors is not to act like prey if they encounter a mountain lion.”

The two hikers, armed with an ice ax and bear spray, returned to and passed the encounter site the following day and continued their 11-day hike.